How to Fix a Dowager’s Neck Hump
Dowager’s neck hump occurs in women when they might start noticing changes in their body, and one of them is a protruding hump on the back of the neck.
Many women don’t worry too much about it, like in my case, as they have noticed a relative with a neck hump, so they’re convinced it must run in the family. Aside from that, most women don’t experience any kind of discomfort, therefore, are not too concerned.
Despite not feeling pain or any kind of discomfort, action needs to be taken as it could lead to long-term effects on your health.
But did you know it is much easier to get rid of than you think? If you consistently take about a quick 4 minutes out of your day, you can quickly fix a neck hump, buffalo hump, or also known as dowager’s neck hump.
We’ll go through the reasons why so many women get a neck hump and explain what you can do to get rid of this distinguishable feature.
What is a dowager’s neck hump?
A neck hump is when there’s excess fat or a slight hump on the back of the neck. Also, called a buffalo hump or dowager’s neck hump, is the result of having poor posture or leaning forward too much, says Frederick Wilson, DO from the Health Cleveland Clinic.
With this condition, prolonged sitting uncomfortably and slouching can cause your neck hump to worsen over time.
This also causes your spine to curve and gives the effect that your neck is protruding forward creating an awkward posture.
What should be noted with this condition is that most people who face this problem are overweight and don’t exercise too much.
Who can get a dowager’s neck hump?
Many people develop a neck hump if they continue having bad posture. Even children face problems with this condition if they are not physically active.
Is getting a dowager’s neck hump harmful to your health?
In most cases a neck hump is harmless; however, there are cases when a neck hump can have more serious health concerns.
For example, in other conditions that we have mentioned such as:
Osteoporosis – is when you lose bone mass which can often lead to bone fracture. As a result, a rounded curvature of the spine creating a hunchback or dowagers neck can often occur.
Congenital Problems – Early stages of birth when the spine doesn’t develop properly.
Scheurermann’s typhus: Usually occurs in teens when the spine develops abnormally and forms a wedge instead of a rectangular shape.
Cushing’s disease – when there’s too much cortisol production in the body affecting many parts of your body like a protruding neck hump.
Are there any other more serious health conditions that can cause a dowager’s neck hump?
Most of these problems can cause neck pain, so this should be evaluated by a medical professional. Moreover, also if you have considerable pain accompanied by other symptoms, see a medical professional.
Exercises you can do to get rid of a dowager’s neck hump
Let us discuss how you can get rid of a dowager’s neck hump. Milton Chiropractic Clinic Cambridge says a simple 4-minute workout will significantly improve a neck hump given the time and commitment.
This will allow you to see an overall improvement in your posture and health.
This exercise is done in three parts while keeping your back straight. To get the best results, repeat this exercise 3 times each and do it for as long as you need to.
- The first part of the exercise is to stand with your back straight. First, lift your arms in the air, shoulder-length apart. Hold each position for 30 seconds.
2. Next, move those arms down with your hands at shoulder level, maintaining a straight alignment with your spine. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
3. Extend those arms straight out. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
4. The last position is to bring arms down putting elbow almost at waist level and hands at shoulder level. Hold this position for 30 seconds.
This next exercise will work your shoulders, diminishing the dowager’s neck hump and helping to straighten the spine.
When performing these exercises, keep in mind to stand in front of a wall or door so you don’t lose your balance!
- Lean up against the wall and raise your right arm and rest it against the wall. Continuing to lean against the wall and hold your posture, tilt your head back and to the right, being careful that you do not lose your balance on this one.
2. Do the same thing with your left hand leaning your head to the left and back and maintaining your balance.
3. Repeat this exercise 3 times each for 30 seconds each.
Within a short amount of time, you will see that your hunchback problem start to dissipate the longer, and consistently you perform these exercises.
Conclusion
As we have discussed, buffalo hump or dowager’s neck hump is no fun to have to go through. In some cases, it could be painful and can cause other health problems. Even though it may not be bothersome to many people, it could be detrimental to your health throughout your life.
It is best to practice proper posture by not slouching and maintaining a good alignment with your spine to help prevent problems like a dowager’s neck and even worse other more serious health conditions.
In addition, getting exercise regularly will not only lead to good posture but will ultimately provide you with a better quality of life, by staying active and avoid any other health complications in the long run.
